Spicy North Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

I know I can’t be the only one that wants to try something new on my pulled pork sandwich….. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some homemade barbecue sauce, buuuuut we all need to venture out of our comfort zones every once in a while! Enter Spicy North Carolina Barbecue sauce. Whoa. I am from northern Wisconsin…. we don’t get a whole lotta this up there. You need to try this.

Don’t get me wrong, it is very different from traditional barbecue sauce VERY. While barbecue sauce is more ketchup/tomato based, this spicy sauce is mustard/vinegar based – obviously a much different outcome. (I my humble opinion) North Carolina Mustard Sauce doesn’t knock my socks off all on its own. Particularly when you are accustomed a more sweeter taste when it comes to barbecue sauce, this tastes shockingly like vinegar.

Major Tip Announcement: Make this THE DAY BEFORE!!! It really does taste better when it has 24 hours to sit in the fridge and meld.

So if you are scrolling through this post and read nothing else before the recipe – at least see that you need to plan this one out. I have tried to make it at the last minute before, while nobody spit it out or anything, it just hadn’t reached its full potential yet.

Also, serve it warm people. Just do it.

So, next time you are planning on a classic BBQ or are smoking a pork shoulder (I swear I will still do a post on smoking pork shoulder….), make this recipe, some baked beans and some awesome Creamy Purple Cabbage Coleslaw and you will be good to go – I would also throw in some Fresh Lemon Pasta for good measure, because that is always, always a hit in my house (even with the kiddos).

I didn’t do a step-by-step on this one, in part because it really is that easy, but also because the day I was making it was my daughter’s birthday party and it was a leeetle crazy….. But, here are some pictures I was able to set up the following day – Enjoy!

You don’t have smoke an entire pork shoulder to enjoy this – pan fry some pork chops and you will be in heaven!

Hello Friends! I'm Erin - photographer, recipe developer and creative content creator behind The Wooden Skillet! I love sharing healthy, inspiring meals, real food, healthy living and so much more. You will find lots of dairy-free, Whole30, paleo and vegan recipes, but also the occasional cocktail and indulgence because .... you gotta have balance! To learn more about me Click Here